Boo Run 5K in Lakewood Ranch draws 450 runners

Lakewood Ranch's David Proudfoot, like many new residents, has been looking for ways to meet people.

Proudfoot, who just moved to the area from St. Louis, thought he could accomplish that by running in the Boo Run 5K on Saturday that started and ended in the FCCI Insurance Group parking lot in Lakewood Ranch.

However, Proudfoot didn't stick around to chat with anyone as he pulled away from the field to win the race in 16:58.

He summed up the event as "fantastic."

Approximately 450 runners signed up for the race that benefits Another Day for Gray (and raising awareness of Duchenne muscular dystrophy) and the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch.

The past nine years, the race has raised funds exclusively for Another Day for Gray, but the nonprofit's namesake, Grayson Tullio, asked this year that the Humane Society at Lakewood Ranch be a benefactor as well.

Before the race, Grayson Tullio addressed the crowd and noted that there are many worthy causes that deserve attention.

"I know (Duchenne muscular dystrophy) sounds like a hard thing," he said. "But we all deal with hard things."

It was the 19th running of the Boo Run 5K, which featured a kids' Boo Dash and the 5K race.